* Very quickly, because there’s so much on the schedule today, especially since the Giants’ starting pitcher switcheroo also switched my column assignment…

1–Can’t expect too much out of Madison Bumgarner in this evening’s dramatic start against the Red Sox.

He just got word late last night. The Giants are using him in a need situation, not by carefully scripted plan. It is, after all, the Red Sox.

But I’ll be curious about a few things…

-What’s the velocity of his fastball? Bumgarner was in the low-90s, if I remember correctly, when he came up briefly late last season, then dipped into the mid-to-high 80s in spring training and raising all kinds of alarmed attention.

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He’s reportedly back in the 91-94 range. Let’s see what happens when he’s in the bright, bright lights of a national Fox game vs. the Bo-Sox.

Bumgarner pitching to Posey vs. the Red Sox. That would be interesting and entertaining, I’d guess.

-Is this possibly a semi-permanent move? Until Wellemeyer is healthy, and probably even after that, I don’t see anybody else who is a better candidate for the fifth slot on the Giants’ roster.

The Giants don’t have many off-days for a long time (up to and then after the All-Star break). They need a reliable arm at the back of the rotation behind Jonathan Sanchez and in front of Tim Lincecum.

They won’t say it, but I’d think they want very much for Bumgarner to give them 4 or 5 starts in a row, if he can.

-Who will Boston have in the line-up? Dustin Pedroia was on crutches last night after fouling one off of his foot, so I’d imagine he’s out. J.D. Drew, as always, is taking longer to come back from a hamstring than first thought. David Ortiz can’t DH.

This is an opportune time for Bumgarner to face Boston, if there ever was one, though you know the Red Sox will be patient, take their walks, and see if they can’t knock around the kid.

2–Soccer. Yes. USA vs. Ghana in a few hours.

I’m no soccer guy, but this has to be the most appealing and tough-minded USA team in a long, long time–Donovan, Dempsey, Howard, Bradley all in their primes, not youngsters, not oldies.

I love when sporting events have historic meaning–whether it’s World Cup, World Series, the U.S. Open, the NBA finals, the Rose Bowl or the NFL playoffs.

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This has meaning. This has pressure. I’m all for both things. Hope I can get to AT&T in time to watch the end of this one.

I think everyone involved realizes that the Warriors new management group, whenever it takes over, will be behind the curve as it sets up its president/GM/personnel team on the fly.

The bad part about all the tumult in the ranks of high-profile top-execs (Rod Thorn stepping away, Steve Kerr and Kevin Pritchard out, Jerry Colangelo possibly in play) is that there are suddenly a bunch of teams looking to snap up exec talent, well ahead of the Warriors’ timeframe.

The good part for the W’s is that somebody very good could be left out of the summer merry-go-round and the new ownership might be able to coolly analyze the situation from afar, then leap in for the bets available exec when it takes control.

It’s also possible that the top bidding groups have already sketched out plans for their basketball-ops people–or have had contacts.

You think Larry Ellison is smart enough to keep tabs of someone like Pritchard, you know, just to let him to that he thinks highly of him and if and when Ellison takes over the W’s, Pritchard would be his guy?

I have heard NOTHING about this specific case. But I wouldn’t doubt something like that could be happening–whether it’s with Pritchard, Ellison, Mark Mastrov or whoever.

The bidding process has proven that nobody’s going crazy here. Rich people want the Warriors, but they’re not going to throw wild money at Chris Cohan. They’re going through the process. It’s due diligence. It’s smart.

That tells me that whoever ends up with the team is probably not going to start Day 1 without having a strong idea about the basketball operations and what kind of person should be making the chief decisions.

I hope Pritchard is our guy. He’s still under contract for another and gonna get paid for it by Allen. He’s probably not in a hurry either.

Willy

Tim,

BTW, your buddy Bucher says Udoh was a great pick. He would’ve picked him ahead of Cousins.

jason bourne

Giants: No hurry for you to come back, Wellemeyer.
TW: Gee, the work must be piling up.
Giants: No problem. Madbum is here.
TW: Madbum? Who’s Madbum.
Giants: He’s your temporary replacement. Madbum came in and just got to work.
TW: Where’s he sitting?
Giants: In your spot on the bench.
TW: You know, I think I’m feeling better. I think I can be back this afternoon.
Giants: You still sound bad Wellemeyer. No need to come in. Madbum and I will take care of it.

The hoser

Also TK – quit the phony sudden favoritism for the gnats – some of the Merc News sportswriters – including Kawakami – must be on the gnats payroll.

Here is a comparison of the A’s and gnats:

A’s: 42 years in bay area, 4 world series titles, averaging a world series title every 10.2 years. 16 playoff births, averaging a playoff birth every 2.8 years.

Gnats: 52 years in SF, 0 (zero) world series titles (LOL) 7 playoff births, averaging a playoff birth every 7.4 years.

The gnats are bush league when compared to the A’s and don’t deserve any press – certainly no more than the A’s. What will Kawakami and the other Merc. news gnats stooges (only some of them, not the whole staff) do when the A’s move to SJ – still cover the lousy gnats?

cliff

During this operation to sell the Warriors, I have been wondering why a team (like the Giants group) come in and buy a team like the Grizzlies (who are from what I hear not doing very well financially in Memphis) and move them to a stadium to be built next to PacBell?

Theoretically, you could buy a team for $150 million less than the warriors, use that cash towards a new stadium, and have an ideal location venue almost guaranteed to generate huge money flow for decades.

Killblue

Hoser,

Why don’t you and the other 18 fans that show up for Oakland games crawl back into your little hole.

Congratulations on your four world championships. The reason why TK and other Merc staff don’t write about the A’s is because, you guessed it, NOBODY CARES. No interest = no readers = bankruptcy.

shooter

with all the top level GM’s available the future looks bright for the warriors

Any bad blood between Microsoft Allen and Oracle Ellison (in taking Pritchard as GM?)? Thinking way too far ahead here, but the current ownership is a waste of thought!!!

JB

Given Ellison’s disdain for Paul Allen, getting Pritchard would be a nice first move as owner (assuming a lot obviously)

Corey M

Does anyone know how much of a basketball fan Larry really is? We all know he is a Dubs fan, but how hardcore? Can he talk at length about the intricacies of the salary cap? Does he reminiscence fondly about Rick Barry’s systematic hair loss? Does he dress up like Dick Callahan for Halloween?

Or does he vote every year to for Vince Carter to make the All-Star Team?

the hoser

spelling cop – have the gnats ever been relevant? they made the playoffs once every 10 years or so and looking back at the archives – last won a world series during the days of the “dead ball era”.

the hoser

killblue – you and your lousy gnats are both losers – enjoy your bad team – loser – the cubs will likely win a world series before your gnats will. (Both are NL clubs – that league is triple A minor league when compared to the superior American league.)

Hep

TK – You are still in denial about the fact that the Warriors change in management will occur in 2011, at the END of the season.

Ellison or anyone equivalently heavyweight, will spend months finding the right people, not hours like you imply.